Introduction
The Palestinian Authority (PA) as policy attempts to
portray itself as victim - even when those killed are
Israelis and even when it bears full responsibility.
This pattern repeated yesterday as a bomb in Tel Aviv
killed a 19-year old Israeli woman soldier and wounded
34. The Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigade, the terror arm of the
Arafat's Fatah, took responsibility for the bombing.
The connection between the PA and the Al Aqsa wing is
openly acknowledged as PA Prime Minister Ahmed Qurei
recently stressed: "The Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades,
military wing of the Fateh movement will not be
dissolved and Fateh will never relinquish its military
wing."
[PA official PA website, June 21, 2004]

Two aspects of the Palestinian Authority's statements
following the attack are noteworthy:

1. When Arafat and Prime Minister Qurei condemned the
bombing, a routine expected by the world media and
international community, it was explained not in terms
of human loss to Israel but political loss to the
Palestinians:
"President Arafat and Prime Minister Qurei repeated
their total opposition to actions targeting civilians
on both sides. Explosion actions that target civilians
are counter to the lofty interests of our nation, hurt
the legality of its legitimate struggle against the
occupation, and cause damage to its image..."
[Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, July, 12, 2004]

2. Moreover, Arafat argued that since Israel was the
one benefiting politically from the bombing it was
likely that Israel was behind it:

"You know that we are against bombings of this type.
We most not forget who stands behind them, as was in
Beit Lid [=bombing in 1995 that killed 21 for which
Arafat repeatedly blames Israel]. Who stands behind
Beit Lid, who murdered [Israeli minister] Zeevi, who
is behind Zeevi... [Israel] ...attempts to cover up
what happened in Hague." [PA TV July, 12, 2004]

Thus according to the PA, though it was the PA terror
wing that planted the bomb and an Israeli who was
killed - they are the political victims of Israeli
scheming.

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